Native Island

Native Island is an island off the east coast of Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island, New Zealand. It is north east of Ulva Island in the northern mouth of Paterson Inlet.[2] It is separated from Stewart Island by a narrow channel 50 metres (160 ft) in width. There has been evidence of small and temporary past Māori settlements on the island.[3][4] Multiple Māori relics have been found, including bone fish hooks, axes, and chisels.[3] Native Island is part of the Ulva Island-Te Wharawhara Marine Reserve, which is on the south part of Native Island.[5]

Native Island
Geography
LocationPaterson Inlet, Stewart Island
Coordinates46°54′55″S 168°09′10″E
Area29,575.19[1] km2 (11,419.04 sq mi)
Length1.0 km (0.62 mi)
Width0.7 km (0.43 mi)
Administration
New Zealand
RegionSouthland
Demographics
Populationuninhabited

History

In the Antarctic Southern Cross Expedition in 1899–1900, 92 huskies, Samoyeds and Greenland Esquimaux dogs were held in Native Island (with government reluctance) for temporary quarantine and examination.[6][7][8][9] Due to quarantine regulations, most of the dogs were killed, but a few were kept under permission from MP Joseph Ward on the premise that they could be used for a future expedition.[10][11][12] Nine descendants of these dogs were used in the expedition of Ernest Shackleton of 1907–1909.[8]

In 1927 a large piece of ambergris was found on the island.[13] In 1944 it was reported that there were rabbits in Native Island after being released in Stewart Island a year prior. The rabbits were described like a pest—eating exposed roots of trees,[14] there were also goats, but it has been reported that they both no longer inhabit the island.[15] In 2013 the Department of Conservation started a rat trap test on Native Island, planting around 140 self-setting Goodnature A24 traps which were checked every 4 to 5 weeks in order to control the island's Ship and Norway rat populations. A year later, sniffer dogs could not detect any rats on the island.[16][17]

In the early 19th century, there were Māori battles fought on Native Island.[18]

In 2021 it was considered to put a wind farm on Native Island, but this was ultimately scrapped due to the difficulty of making the transmission route, anticipated lack of wind, that half of the island is a national park, and cultural value that is associated with Native Island.[19]

Flora and fauna

Fossils of South Island giant moa have been found on Native Island.[20] Rhytida australis snails are common,[21] and Native Island also has Tuatara.[22]

References
  1. https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html
  2. "NZGB Gazetteer | linz.govt.nz". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  3. "WHAT TO SEE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 December 1932. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  4. Cushing, C.E. (1 January 1970). RADIATION ECOLOGY IN FRESHWATER COMMUNITIES (Report). Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI).
  5. "Ulva Island-Te Wharawhara Marine Reserve report card brochure" (PDF). Department of Conservation. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  6. "CURRENT TOPICS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 6 April 1900. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  7. "NEWS OF THE DAY". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 14 April 1900. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  8. "Sites of shared Antarctic and NZ significance | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 August 2023. Anglo-Norwegian polar explorer Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink (1864 –1934), released his Siberian sled dogs on Native Island on the return voyage of his 1899–1900 expedition. In preparation for his 1907–1909 expedition, Ernest Shackleton purchased from a breeder in Stewart Island nine sled dogs descended from those released by Borchgrevink seven years earlier.
  9. "Canine explorers on ice". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1 November 1985. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  10. "Antarctic Transport Over 70 Years". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 May 1970. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  11. "Giant husky among Antarctic greats". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  12. Southland supplied expedition dogs. Southland Times. December 2021.
  13. "LOCAL & GENERAL". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 10 November 1927. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  14. "NEWS OF THE DAY". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 18 October 1944. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  15. Usher, George A. (3 September 2009). "Flora and Fauna on Stewart Island, New Zealand". Oryx. 2 (3): 181–186. doi:10.1017/s003060530003622x. ISSN 0030-6053.
  16. Nicoll, Dave (29 March 2015). "DOC trap trial proves successful". Stuff. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  17. "Self-setting traps controlling island rats". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  18. "OUR SOUTHERNMOST TOURIST RESORT". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 20 December 1902. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  19. "Stewart Island Wind Power – Final pre-development report". mbie.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  20. Verry, Alexander; Schmidt, Matthew; Rawlence, Nicolas (31 January 2021). "A partial skeleton provides evidence for the former occurrence of moa populations on Rakiura Stewart Island". New Zealand Journal of Ecology. doi:10.20417/nzjecol.46.8. ISSN 0110-6465.
  21. "Distribution and status of native carnivorous land snails in the genera Wainuia and Rh" (PDF). Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  22. "HIGH VALUE AREAS ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT REPORT" (PDF).
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